SB Nation Los Angeles - Dodgers Get More Power From Gibbons, But Drop Finale With Astros, 7-4https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48949/la-fave.png2010-09-12T14:37:58-07:00http://losangeles.sbnation.com/rss/stream/14479612010-09-12T14:37:58-07:002010-09-12T14:37:58-07:00Astros Knock Out Monasterios Early, Beat Dodgers 7-4
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/jh9Z6YLoOn8RpIDEcry6r_S1VkQ=/0x26:400x293/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47828123/large_losangeles.sbnation.com.minimal.0.png" />
</figure>
<p>Houston, TX (Sports Network) - <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/68911/Jason_Castro">Jason Castro</a> and pinch-hitter <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/240/Geoff_Blum">Geoff Blum</a> hit consecutive RBI doubles in the bottom of the fifth inning, and the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/teams/houston-astros">Houston Astros</a> beat Los Angeles, 7-4, to salvage a split in a four-game series at Minute Maid Park.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/347/Hunter_Pence">Hunter Pence</a> belted a two-run homer and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/69504/Brett_Wallace">Brett Wallace</a> added a two-run single for Houston, which has won four of its last six games.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/11/Jay_Gibbons">Jay Gibbons</a> hit a three-run homer for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/teams/los-angeles-dodgers">Dodgers</a>, who have dropped seven of nine.</p>
<p>The Astros pushed four runs home off Los Angeles rookie <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/104555/Carlos_Monasterios">Carlos Monasterios</a> in the first inning. Monasterios was given the starting nod in place of <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/131/Vicente_Padilla">Vicente Padilla</a> after he was scratched with a bulging disk in his neck.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/192/Michael_Bourn">Michael Bourn</a> led off with a single and Pence hit a one-out blast to left field to put Houston on the board. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/350/Carlos_Lee">Carlos Lee</a> then singled and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/68909/Matt_Downs">Matt Downs</a> reached on a error before Wallace singled home both runners.</p>
<p>The Dodgers tied the game with a four-run fourth. Houston starter <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/33406/Nelson_Figueroa">Nelson Figueroa</a> gave up singles to two of the first three hitters, and Gibbons crushed an offering to right field. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/890/James_Loney">James Loney</a> then tripled and came home on a <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/34022/Russ_Mitchell">Russ Mitchell</a> sacrifice fly.</p>
<p>Houston regained the lead in the fifth after <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/1044/Gustavo_Chacin">Gustavo Chacin</a> (2-2) retired Gibbons on a fly ball to escape a bases-loaded jam in the top of the inning.</p>
<p>With two outs and a runner on second, Castro and Blum hit consecutive doubles off <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/31750/Ramon_Troncoso">Ramon Troncoso</a> (1-3) to put the Astros up 6-4.</p>
<p>Lee provided some insurance with a solo home run in the eighth.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/585/Brandon_Lyon">Brandon Lyon</a> pitched the ninth for his 15th save of the season.</p>
<p>Pence has 84 RBI this year, a new career high...Los Angeles fell to 2-5 on a 10-game road trip...Monasterios gave up four runs -- three earned -- on five hits in 1 1/3 innings...Figueroa allowed four runs on five hits in 4 2/3 innings.</p>
https://losangeles.sbnation.com/2010/9/12/1684517/astros-7-dodgers-4-carlos-monasterios-jay-gibbons-hunter-penceEric Stephen2010-09-12T09:57:12-07:002010-09-12T09:57:12-07:00Today's Dodgers-Astros Lineups, Plus Other Notes
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/jh9Z6YLoOn8RpIDEcry6r_S1VkQ=/0x26:400x293/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47828123/large_losangeles.sbnation.com.minimal.0.png" />
</figure>
<p>There has been a scoring change from Friday night’s game. In the 11th inning, Jay Gibbons was originally charges with an error on a catch attempt in left field, but that play has been changed to a hit for Humberto Quintero, and against Octavio Dotel. If this affects your fantasy baseball team, I’ll be surprised. Then again, back before the days of affordable customizable stat services, I once had a season decided on the strikeout of the final batter of the <span class="caps">MLB</span> season. That is, until I realized I made a calculating error.</p>
<p>Chin-lung Hu starts at shortstop for the Dodgers today, his first start of the season. He has appeared in four games this season, but has yet to record a plate appearances. Russ Mitchell, starting at third base, is 0-for-11 in his young <span class="caps">MLB</span> career so far.</p>
<p>In roster news, Houston has activated reliever Felipe Paulino before today’s game, per <a href="http://twitter.com/alysonfooter/statuses/24295268512" target="new">Alyson Footer of the Astros</a>.</p>
<p>Here are today’s lineups:</p>
<p><strong>Dodgers</strong><br>
Oeltjen CF<br>
Theriot 2B<br>
Ethier RF<br>
Gibbons LF<br>
Loney 1B<br>
Mitchell 3B<br>
Hu SS<br>
Ausmus C<br>
Monasterios P</p>
<p><strong>Astros</strong> (per Brian McTaggart of <a href="http://twitter.com/brianmctaggart/statuses/24291424174" target="new"><span class="caps">MLB</span>.com</a>)<br>
Bourn CF<br>
Sanchez 2B<br>
Pence RF<br>
Lee LF<br>
Downs 3B<br>
Wallace 1B<br>
Manzella SS<br>
Castro C<br>
Figueroa P</p>
https://losangeles.sbnation.com/2010/9/12/1684030/dodgers-astros-lineups-game-notesEric Stephen2010-09-12T08:54:08-07:002010-09-12T08:54:08-07:00Monasterios Gets Call For Dodgers In Finale With Astros
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/jh9Z6YLoOn8RpIDEcry6r_S1VkQ=/0x26:400x293/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47828123/large_losangeles.sbnation.com.minimal.0.png" />
</figure>
<p>(Sports Network) - The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/los-angeles-dodgers">Los Angeles Dodgers</a> aim for a series win Sunday afternoon over the hosting <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/houston-astros">Houston Astros</a> in the finale of a four-game set from Minute Maid Park.</p>
<p>After losing six in a row, including the opener of this series on Thursday, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> have posted back-to-back wins to set themselves up for a series victory. They squeezed out a 4-2 win in 11 innings on Friday, then posted a 6-3 triumph last night with a three-run ninth inning. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/890/James_Loney">James Loney</a> highlighted the frame with an RBI double for LA, which is 2-4 on a 10-game road trip.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/91/Casey_Blake">Casey Blake</a> hit a solo home run and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/860/Reed_Johnson">Reed Johnson</a> had two hits, an RBI and scored twice in a winning effort. Starter John Ely threw six innings and was charged with three runs on six hits with a walk and four strikeouts. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/33286/Kenley_Jansen">Kenley Jansen</a> picked up his first career win for tossing a 1-2-3 eighth inning.</p>
<p>"Since I've started to throw as a pitcher I've always wanted to be a closer", said Jansen. "My goal is to be like <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/628/Mariano_Rivera">Mariano Rivera</a>, that's my goal, to be like that guy one day."</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/11/Jay_Gibbons">Jay Gibbons</a> added two hits for LA and is hitting .359 with four homers and 12 RBI since being called up from Triple-A Albuquerque on August 8.</p>
<p>Taking the mound for the Dodgers today will be rookie <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/104555/Carlos_Monasterios">Carlos Monasterios</a>, who will replace <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/131/Vicente_Padilla">Vicente Padilla</a> after he was scratched with a bulging disk in his neck. Monasterios owns a 3-5 mark in 28 games (11 starts) this season to go along with a 4.02 ERA. He pitched just two innings in his last appearance on August 31 versus Philadelphia, as he gave up five runs in five hits to suffer the loss.</p>
<p>The right-hander is 2-2 on the road and has never faced the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.crawfishboxes.com/">Astros</a>.</p>
<p>Houston has dropped back-to-back games following a three-game winning streak and looks to break even in this series with Los Angeles.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/69504/Brett_Wallace">Brett Wallace</a> homered and both <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/192/Michael_Bourn">Michael Bourn</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/415/Jeff_Keppinger">Jeff Keppinger</a> contributed run-scoring hits for Houston, which is 1-2 on a 10-game homestand. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/375/Wandy_Rodriguez">Wandy Rodriguez</a> made the start for the 'Stros and did not factor in the outcome with seven innings of three-run ball and 10 strikeouts.</p>
<p>"I was using my breaking ball tonight," Rodriguez said on the team's website. "[In the fourth], I think I hung it and got behind them. It got better."</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/585/Brandon_Lyon">Brandon Lyon</a> was saddled with the loss for allowing three runs -- two earned -- in the top of the ninth inning.</p>
<p>Taking the ball for the Astros today will be <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/33406/Nelson_Figueroa">Nelson Figueroa</a>, who is 2-1 in 13 games (1 start) this season for Houston and 5-2 with both the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/philadelphia-phillies">Phillies</a> and Astros this season. He has won consecutive trips to the hill and beat the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/chicago-cubs">Cubs</a> at Wrigley Field on Tuesday, allowing three runs in five innings of a 7-3 win.</p>
<p>Figueroa has lasted at least five innings in five straight outings and is 1-1 with a 6.60 ERA in three career starts against Los Angeles.</p>
<p>The Dodgers swept a two-game series from the Astros back in May and have six of the previous seven matchups between the two ballclubs.</p>
https://losangeles.sbnation.com/2010/9/12/2320856/monasterios-gets-call-for-dodgers-in-finale-with-astrosEric Stephen